Astrophotography Telescope suggestions

[DamienBoath]

Hey all,

It's been awhile since i posted, can thank Covid, divorce and winter for that... Busy busy. I had received some advice awhile ago about the cheap telescope my father had purchased my son and it's been great to develop the hobby. However, this scope has severe limitations as expected. I've just ordered some new eye pieces and diagonal as half of them didnt work properly (i even dismantled two so as to clean this weird grease off the lens, its almost as if whoeever had it before tried to clean it with WD40..... anywho).
 

I'm looking at now moving on and up into astrophotography. I've spent the last two or three months really researching it and have settled/narrowed down on the following:

Canon EOS90D Camera. Might get the lens kit also so i have other options outside of astrophotography: https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/canon-eos-90d-dslr-camera-with-18-55mm-is-lens

Skywatcher EQ mount: https://www.opticscentral.com.au/skywatcher-eqm-35-mount.html?___SID=U

Telescope: This is where I need your suggestions!

I have a budget of $5000 AU total for this. With camera and mount, we are up to $3198. Leaving roughly $1800 for a scope. Could probably push this to $2000 (roughly 1000 pounds for the poms) if needed though.

I have no idea where to begin. Obviously needs to be able to mount the camera to the scope so must factor in the T adaptor (they seem cheap though? $50). And be suitable to click on to the mount.

Your next question will be: What will you be photographing?

A: Deep space/nebulae and galaxies/Milky way.

We have the cheap refractor for looking at the moon. I have seen that decent, larger refractors are recommended for astrophotography and not Dobsonians.

I'm in a great location, if i follow the light pollution website, we are on the very edge of the low light polution (im about an hour from the city) and we are 10 minutes up the street from zero light pollution with lots of farming/open space.

Fire your suggestions through and any specs i should be aiming for. aka size of refractor, it's focal length etc

Thanks

Damien

[Spacecake2]

Maybe an 8" computerised like a Nextar 8 se? 

[Andy R]

Lovely neck of the woods where you are and great skies too I seem to remember all to well. 

Something like this with  the focal reducer might fit your budget  I’ve seen some good results with this scope on YouTube and interweb 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/pro-series/skywatcher-evostar-80ed-ds-pro-outfit.html

The scope is reasonably light as the mounts payload is roughly 10kilos  so ideally you want to be fairly under my this weight  

have you thought about auto guiding with a guide camera and scope(the finder scope can probably be adapted)  

anyway im sure when the UK wakes up there will be a more varied and better responses  I’m currently up helping my dog with her whelping  all good fun  

E2a: a star tracker might be better option with a smaller refractor. There’s lots of different options and SGL is a great place to ask questions and research. Good luck

Edited November 3, 2020 by Andy R

[DamienBoath]

Thanks.

I presume the Sky Watcher EQM-35 is a star tracker too as it has some 42,000 preprogrammed co-ordinates for stars/celestial bodies. 🤷‍♂️

[smashing]

That camera is very expensive, you may be better going for a second hand modded DSLR and a much better mount which would cost you about as much as that camera alone....you've then got the rest of your budget to get a small refractor and guiding stuff.

[Cosmic Geoff]

6 hours ago, Spacecake2 said:

Maybe an 8" computerised like a Nextar 8 se?

I have one, and can confirm that it is totally unsuitable for deep space astrophotography.

BTW, if you quote prices in Australian dollars,  UK residents (the majority here) may not be familiar with the exchange rate.  That camera seems a little expensive, even allowing for the exchange rate.  Be aware that the prime reason for using a DSLR is that many people already own one, and a dedicated large sensor astro camera is expensive compared with many DSLRs.  I bought a used Canon 300D for £25.

[DamienBoath]

https://www.teds.com.au/canon-eos-90d

Current exchange rate is for every UK Pound, it is $1.82 AU. So essentially double. Any prices quoted, simply half.

[DamienBoath]

What about this as an option for a scope: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ioptron-telescopes/ioptron-photron-6-ritchey-chretien-telescope.html

Chap on youtube reviewed it and it seemed to give good results. Especially for a starter level scope:

 

[DamienBoath]

Australian availability: https://www.bintel.com.au/product/bintel-gso-rc6-f9-astrograph-metal-tube/?v=322b26af01d5

[callisto]

On 03/11/2020 at 08:07, smashing said:

That camera is very expensive, you may be better going for a second hand modded DSLR and a much better mount which would cost you about as much as that camera alone....you've then got the rest of your budget to get a small refractor and guiding stuff.

+1  for a used DSLR to get you started

[DamienBoath]

Sure. I do like the idea of buying new so I have it for awhile. There is this though: https://www.teds.com.au/2nd-hand-canon-eos-77d-body

Remember, pricing in AU so this would be roughly 400 pounds.